Briggs State Bank
Also known as: Briggs General Store
Why it's listed
Built in 1909 on Loop 308, once Main Street in the Burnet County community of Briggs, this small bank building has rough-cut limestone walls, a symmetrical brick front and a cast-iron storefront. Inside is a single room with a pine floor and a pressed tin ceiling. Five stockholders chartered the Briggs State Bank with $15,000 in capital, and it served as the only bank within twenty miles. Its fortunes followed the cotton and wool economy. Falling deposits led to a merger with two Florence banks in 1928, and a fire the same year destroyed about half of the town's homes and businesses. Later the building held a warehouse and then a general store, and it was restored and reopened as the Briggs General Store in 1995. It is listed for its role in the commercial history of Briggs and as one of the few remaining early twentieth-century commercial buildings in the town.
Significance in brief: The bank was the only financial institution serving the agricultural community of Briggs from 1909 until it closed and merged into a Florence bank in 1928. It is one of the last intact historic commercial buildings in the town. It is nominated at the local level under Criterion A in the area of Commerce.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 00000885, listed August 11, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Loop 308, approx. 0.5 mi. N of jct. with US 183, Briggs |
|---|---|
| County | Burnet County |
| Listed | August 11, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00000885 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1909-1928 |
| Architectural style | Other: 1-part commercial block (early 20th century commercial vernacular) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored by its current owner and reopened in 1995 as the Briggs General Store, a retail store. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 30.88853, -97.92478 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 00000885.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001208
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.